New Old-Fashioned No. 1: Brenda Lee’s ‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree’ Tops Hot 100, 65 Years After Its Release
Written by djfrosty on December 4, 2023
Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” rises 4-2 on the Hot 100, with across-the-board gains in streams (32.4 million, up 47%), airplay (21.5 million, up 38%) and sales (4,000, up 39%); it’s the chart’s second-greatest gainer in both streaming and airplay and earns the top Sales Gainer nod. With its 2019 coronation, Carey claimed her 19th Hot 100 No. 1, extending her mark for the most among soloists and moving to within one of The Beatles’ overall record 20. The single also reigns as the No. 1 hit on Billboard’s Greatest of All Time Holiday 100 Songs retrospective.
Jack Harlow’s “Lovin On Me” dips to No. 3 on the Hot 100, a week after it became his third No. 1. It claims the chart’s top Airplay Gainer award (29.9 million, up 44%), while also increasing in streams (25.1 million, up 6%). It concurrently tops the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Rap Songs charts, which use the same methodology as the Hot 100, for a third week each.
Next up among holiday songs on the Hot 100, Bobby Helms’ “Jingle Bell Rock,” from 1957, gallops 12-4, one spot way from its best rank, with 27.6 million streams (up 55%) and 19.9 million in airplay audience (up 36%); Wham!’s “Last Christmas” jingles 13-5, led by 26.9 million streams (up 52%); and Burl Ives’ “A Holly Jolly Christmas” dashes 16-6 (26.2 million, up 61%). The latter two tracks, from 1984 and 1964, respectively, have both hit No. 4 highs to date.
Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer” falls 2-7 on the Hot 100, following four nonconsecutive weeks at No. 1 beginning in October.
Doja Cat’s “Paint the Town Red” descends 3-8 on the Hot 100, after it led for three nonconsecutive weeks beginning in September – and becomes her first No. 1 on Radio Songs (65.8 million, down 1%).
SZA’s “Snooze” remains tucked in the Hot 100’s top 10, slipping 5-9, after reaching No. 2, as it leads the multi-metric Hot R&B Songs chart for an 18th week.
Rounding out the Hot 100’s top 10, Andy Williams’ “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” originally released in 1963, leaps 28-10, with 20 million in radio reach (up 26%). The late singer now sports a record span of 64 years and two months from his first week in the top 10 with “Lonely Street” in October 1959 through his latest frame. (Excluding holiday fare, The Beatles broke the record for the longest top 10 span last month: 59 years, nine months and three weeks, from “I Want To Hold Your Hand” in 1964 to the debut of their newly-released single “Now and Then.”)